~The Girls!~

These are just random pictures I found that needed to be posted.

The one of Jolene makes me laugh. She came home from school on day and the weather was warm and beautiful. She needed to read for her homework and I had several things going on at once and couldn't stop right then to be read to, so she took her book and went outside to read to the dog because he didn't have anything else to do. I think she was trying to make a point, but it was a pretty cute point.

This seems to be the norm when it comes to bedtime with Raychel and Ella. When Raychel heads up to bed Ella always runs after her. When Ward and I head up to bed we check on the girls and this is what we find. Ella is usually at the foot of the bed sleeping, but lately she is up close and sometimes even under the covers. I will see if I can get a picture of that soon. It is pretty cute to see the love this cat as for only Raychel!

~Decorating~

I love how the rooms have turned out. The girls both have taken a huge part in decorating their own rooms. It has been fun seeing them use their imaginations, their ideas come to life in their own space. It has been fun watching it all come together and see their excitement over the details!

~Our daughters~

"One great thing the Lord requires of each of us is to provide a home where a happy, positive influence for good exists. In future years the costliness of home furnishings or the number of bathrooms will not matter much, but what will matter significantly is whether our children felt love and acceptance in the home. It will greatly matter whether there was happiness and laughter, or bickering and contention."

"There has never been and there never will be a satisfactory substitute for the home established by the God of Heaven. If this nation is to endure, the home must be safeguarded, strengthened, and restored to it's rightful importance." -President Benson

This is what we have tried to do.  We have tried to raise happy, positive, good, loving, kind children. I think we are doing pretty good.   Some days can feel pretty overwhelming, I feel as if I am drowning in our lives and the many great things we are all doing.  I want our girls to have many friends from all walks of life, I want them to be examples of good, to set the right example for others to follow.  They want to share their testimonies all the time, they both worry that they wont know what to say or how to say it, we told them they also share their testimonies by how they live.  We are raising our daughters through the Lords  help, He knows them better them I do, he knows their spirits and the way they need to be raised and loved.  I pray I will be the mother these girls deserve.  I pray I will raise them to be great young woman of integrity.  I take my job as mother seriously. I have been accused of being too over protective and I have been accused of being not protective enough, giving them to much freedom.  I love our girls more them anyone could ever imagine.  Being told we may never have children of our own and them being blessed with these beautiful, smart, healthy girls makes me count my blessings many times over because of what we went through to have them.
We will raise our daughters our way, and you will raise yours, your way.  Your way is not my way, and my way is not your way, so please don't judge me on my way of raising my daughters. 

Sunday Photo

I am in awe of these two.

So many times I catch myself looking at them and thinking they are mine!

I love them more then I ever thought possible. I enjoy their company sometimes

more then an adults. They are honest, happy, full of energy, trusting, and

true friends. It is hard to believe these are the babies I held in my arms,

the babies I rocked to sleep, read to, sang to and cuddled all hours of the day.

They are just as beautiful and special to me today, as they were the first day I held them.

They are mine

Children are an heritage of the Lord

~PSALM 127:3

Children are the promise of the future, the

assurance of greater things to come.

~Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

I wonder if they know how ....
blessed they have made my life?
How their smiles light my world,
how their laughter brings my heart
pure joy, how their kindness makes me
smile, how refreshing their innocence is,
how all their questions keep me on my
toes, how their hugs warm my heart, how
their gratitude humbles me, I wonder if they
know they are my joy, my angels, my
weaknesses, my love, and most importantly
they are mine!